Mount Minsi Loop

Dogs Leashed

Features Fall Colors · Views · Wildlife

This loop combines several trails in the area and includes a lovely section of the AT: Wilmington Trail Club (PA), with great Rhododendron tunnels, easy rock scrambles, and several viewpoints. Head back down via a better-than-average fire road and finish up by testing your trail craft on some un-blazed singletrack trail.

If more mileage is desired, a loop via the Lake Lettini Trail can easily be added.

The village of Delaware Water Gap is a dream for both thru-hikers and runners out for a day as it features many great cafes, a hostel, and the famous Deer Head Inn.

The run starts at the Lenape Lot just off the AT: Wilmington Trail Club (PA) at GPS coordinates 40.979850, -75.142087. This lot is rather small (approximately 20 cars) and fills up very quickly on weekends or nice days in the fall foliage season.

Head south on the AT: Wilmington Trail Club (PA) for 2.4 miles, stopping at five viewpoints along the way, the first three of which are fairly limited/obstructed. The fifth requires a quick detour down the Mt. Minsi Overlook trail and ends with a nice view of the Delaware River and the town of Portland, PA.

Retrace your steps on the AT for approximately 0.4 miles and take the Mt. Minsi Fire Road west and eventually north for 1.5 miles. Here, bear left onto the Table Rock Spur. This unblazed trail is a nice change of pace from the doubletrack fire road, but please be advised there are a series of unmarked trails in this area. If you are not comfortable navigating with a map or GPS device, it is recommended you simply continue on the Mt. Minsi Fire Road for 0.3 miles where it connects back to the AT: Wilmington Trail Club (PA).

Table Rock Spur is little-used but that adds to its appeal. In a short period of time, the runner will enjoy a backwoods singletrack, an open expanse of exposed bedrock, traveling alongside a deep ravine, and some more lush Rhododendron tunnels. Once the trail connects back to the AT: Wilmington Trail Club (PA), head northbound for 0.15 miles to the parking lot.

Typical north New Jersey hardwood forest with a truly unusual amount of Rhododendron bushes.